Persian Empire 1845

Chapter 683 The Fall of Greece
"Thermopylae has fallen! The Ottomans are attacking!"

This astonishing news spread throughout Athens, causing a stir among the already terrified citizens.

Many audacious individuals are committing crimes in the city. Everyone is looking out for themselves. Athens is now on the verge of chaos, but no one seems to care; everyone is busy planning and scheming for their own benefit.

The port of Piraeus in Athens was bustling with ships. Inside, it was teeming with panicked dignitaries. Their servants, carrying large bags and bundles, followed closely behind as they boarded the ships. Those without tickets also crowded the port, desperately trying to obtain one. The port was so crowded that, were it not for the presence of military and police maintaining order, it would have been utter chaos.

The royal family was the first to board a ship and leave, taking advantage of the Ottoman and Iranian navies being in the Black Sea and Indian Ocean respectively, quickly sailing to Venice for refuge. Next came the government, the wealthy, and those who had managed to obtain tickets by any means necessary. Those left behind could only await the arrival of the enemy with despair.

“Shah, the King of Greece has fled.”

Amir's words made Nasser al-Din look up from the documents. "Greece is nothing but Russia's servant. It only dared to challenge us repeatedly because of its master's power. This time, it has shown its true colors."

Nasser al-Din always felt that the smaller alliances were not a threat, and that it was enough to defeat Russia and France, who were behind them. Therefore, this special operation against Greece was undertaken to better concentrate the counter-offensive.

"Teacher, what do you think? Would it be alright if the empire brought Greece back under its control?"

Amir was caught off guard by such a bold proposal. “Shah,” Amir began, his gaze deep, “reintegrating Greece into our territory is, of course, an extremely tempting choice in terms of emotion and imperial prestige. It is the cradle of classical civilization, and its recapture symbolizes unparalleled glory. However, we need to carefully weigh the costs and risks of ruling a hostile land where national consciousness has already awakened.”

Amir was well aware of the massive impact the Greek War of Independence had on Europe, and that rashly annexing all of its territory would trigger a series of chain reactions. This wasn't a game where annexing a country simply increased your infamy by 20 points.

"Are we just going to let them go like this?" Naserdin asked.

"Of course not, Shah. Think about it, the reason Bismarck demanded 80 billion in reparations from France was to suppress the French economy. Now, we can also demand reparations that will prevent Greece from recovering for thirty years."

Furthermore, Greece can be included in our customs union, thus tightly binding its economic lifeline to the empire. Greece is small and impoverished; if our goods flood in, they will certainly turn to us.

The same applies to Greece's economy today. Greece has virtually no truly modern factories. On the one hand, it lacks start-up capital; limited foreign investment and national funds are prioritized for debt repayment, agriculture, and infrastructure, leaving no room for industrial investment. On the other hand, it lacks markets and technology; its small population and low purchasing power cannot support the demand for industrial products, and it also lacks workers and engineers skilled in modern machine production.

Greece's main products are limited to a few: olive oil, wine, and milk. These products, which were exported during ancient Greece, still account for 90% of all exports today. This single-export structure makes the Greek economy highly vulnerable to fluctuations in international market prices.

Moreover, Greece has a long-standing trade deficit due to its need to import large quantities of industrial goods, food, and raw materials. This trade deficit is mainly offset by shipping revenue and remittances from overseas Greeks, but it still puts pressure on the economy. Nasserdin tapped the table with his pen and looked at the teacher. "Greece still has appeal to its Greek citizens, and the atrocities committed against the Patriarch and the Greeks will not be easily resolved in the short term."

The historical burden brought by the Ottomans is too heavy, especially the massacres of Greeks in Constantinople and other regions during the Greek Wars of Independence. This has become a historical memory for a generation, and it cannot be resolved without a long period of reassurance.

He thought for a moment, then continued, "Has the King of Greece made any move?"

"King George is currently fleeing to Venice, his government is paralyzed, and Athens and the whole of Greece are in a power vacuum and in a state of disorder. This is the perfect opportunity for us to shape the future order."

Naserdin agreed, believing that the defeated must pay a price. The extent of that price, however, depended on the victor's decision.

On July 29, a letter entitled "Appeal to the Greek People" was published in major newspapers, and 7 leaflets were printed and posted in the streets and alleys of the occupied areas.

To the children of the Peloponnese, the citizens of Athens, and all who claim to be descendants of the Greeks:
I, Naser al-Din, have been ordained by Heaven to hold power in both Persia and the Ottoman Empire, and hereby issue this decree to you.

When my army raised the crescent flag at Thermopylae, the echoes of history must have pierced the soul of every Greek. Two thousand three hundred years ago, Spartan warriors shed their blood here; today, your sons have also fallen here. Yet today's defeat is not due to a lack of courage, but to the arrogance and folly of your leaders.

The Athenian politicians, driven by their territorial greed, have sent your sons to their doom. Did they tell you that London bankers and Parisian arms dealers were manipulating this war? Did they confess that the blood of Greek soldiers was nothing more than a sacrifice for the ambitions of others? Where are the offspring of those bureaucrats who shouted slogans in Parliament?

"Remember the lessons of the Battle of Salamis: when Persia and Greece joined forces, they created a glorious civilization. Now I come with an even greater civilization, and I wish to bestow upon you the true glory that transcends vain independence."

This declaration shook the remaining resistance across Greece. Except for Patras in the Peloponnese, where there was still steadfast resistance, major cities including Athens and Thebes surrendered. The period of the Greek Kingdom, which began in 1832, ended, and Greece entered the period of Ottoman occupation.

The occupation of Greece sparked protests across Europe, with demonstrations erupting in London, Paris, Hamburg, and other cities, declaring their intention to reorganize a volunteer army to support Greece. However, the upper echelons of government paid little attention to this, as everyone knew that with the Russian offensive stalled, the fall of Greece was only a matter of time.

Russia was the most enraged, seeing the loss of its Orthodox brethren as a failure of its foreign policy. However, the Danube remained uncrossable, and as economic problems worsened, their advantages would turn into disadvantages, awaiting a counterattack from the Ottomans and Iran.

(End of this chapter)